Hans1965

Has anything being done to address the rust issues? From 10 to nearly 15 grand, you would assume that. Good that I am broke anyway... 🤣

Machine Gun, thank you. I just want to make it reliable and safe, that's it. And then enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. It comes over with new tires and I hope it it does not need much else than a brake check, new oils and a grease job. My first Sedanet among all the hardtops. Really highly excited. I have never seen this model in real life, so when I pick it up it will be a first.

Here are pictures of my newly acquired 1947 Buick Super Sedanet while still at the seller. The car was put in the garage around 1973, stood there for 40 years and then was passed on to stand another 10 years before it was carefully revived. Really looking forward to getting it over to me soon. Totally original. Doesn't it look great?

Al, could you send me that as well, please? Thanks a lot!

Brand new pictures 🤣

Markus, I know a Dutch guy who is selling Buick parts of the early 50s. He has a 3.90 complete rear axle that I considered for a while, but I wanted a 3.60. Not sure if he has something in the other direction, 4.45 or so. Pm me for contact details. This Dutch guy is very expensive, but still cheaper than importing from the US. He wanted for an exhaust manifold 450 Eur.

Thank you, Markus, appreciate that. In the meantime I had found a company in Cologne that did the welding for me. Not as severe as your case, paid 80 Eur. But since 4 weeks it is at another company for making it even again ("planen") , the manifold is too long for most companies here to do that. I lived in Frankfurt for 15 years, close to Berger Strasse, great place. There are a few Buick enthusiasts in Germany, but not too many. Your Sedanet looks fantastic. 👍

Here in Germany it is the same. We do have around 500.000 officially registered classic cars (older than 30 years) and many many more hidden in garages. Even if the weather is nice and bright at the weekend, you rarely see any of those. People only seem to drive to car meets, that is it. No meets, no cars. But just recently a 50s Mercedes 300 SL gullwing overtook us on the highway, twice as quick as us in the 49 Buick Super convertible. In an unusual beige color. What an experience!! Will never forget that. If I don't see anything old and nice for the next 10 years and then such a car again, I am fine.

These two 48s look just magnificent to me. I think these cars are here in Europe currently more worth than in the US. When I see RD Classics in Emmerich advertising a 49 Caddy convertible for 100.000 Eur or 120.000 USD and they have a few others in that price range, then this definitely seems to be the case. A fb friend bought recently a 49 Super convertible for 35.000 Eur or 42.000 USD that still needs a lot of work.....

I have Firestone 820-15 tires on both my 49s and they are really hard to steer at very low speeds but I love the looks. The 760-15 on my 52 Pontiac Catalina are easy, the same on my 52 Buick Riviera. To move my 53 Buick with 225 radials that has standard power steering is really hard work when the engine is not running. That was the main reason for me not to buy radials for my non power steering cars. You get used so quickly to the characteristics of bias ply tires. The "lose" front end and a lot of play in the steering wheel are much more frightening to me . 😩

John, thank you for the hint about the 15". I tend to stay with the 16" as I have no 15" anyway. Here I need to glue km/h figures onto the mph speedometer anyway which is required by law, so accuracy is not an issue. I cannot figure out why the small series cars have 16 inch wheels and the Roadmaster 15 inch.

In what price range is it?

Hi all, I just acquired a very original 1947 Buick super Sedanet which needs new tires among a few other things. Manual transmission as this is one year before dynaflow was introduced. I was thinking back and forth on changing the rear end gear set. As these cars have a 4.45 rear end a 3.90 would bring down rpm at a given speed. That is an option. I need to decide on tires, too. The smaller series cars had 16 inch wheels, while the Roadmaster had 15s. I tend to buy Firestone 650-16 tires, which is the standard size for this car, with 4 inch white walls. Maybe 700-16 are even better? Would they fit without rubbing? Or I try to find 15s and put 850 on them? Many options, but what would you do as you have much more experience than I have? Thanks for advice! Highly appreciate that. Best, Hans

I think the 49 Super has a 4.10 gear set. I would like to switch that as well to something more economical and to reduce the rpm at a given speed.

Just a comment on the hydrolectric system. I have the same in my 49 Super convertible and 53 Roadmaster Riviera. It is a little annoying, but pumps can be bought new on ebay for around 500 usd and new window and top hydraulic cylinders can be found, too, for around 130 usd each. To replace them and eventually the lines is not really a fun job, but even I, born with two left hands, was able to do it myself. I had every switch apart for cleaning, but then the system works absolutely fine. For a car as much worth as a Skylark this is not a real cost to consider. My 53 Roadmaster engine and tranny were rebuilt maybe 10 years back and the car runs like a modern car, very strong and comfortable. Only had two stuck valves needing a valve job earlier this year. The car is not even loosing any ATF as most dynaflows do. Single circle power brake had been changed against two circle for safety reasons.