LAS VEGAS DAVE

Normally this is caused by worn out front end parts. Check king pins and tie rod ends, usually both need to be rebuilt. Check all connections from steering box pitman arm and all other grease fitting connections. If the kingpins are worn it will require new king pin bushings and possibly king pins. The parts are readily available and can be done yourself or shop around for a decent front end shop to do the labor after you buy the parts.

Matt, I am a relatively new member and I had some great phone conversations with Joe. He told me that he was nearing the end of his term of being the editor and was looking for someone to replace him. I am so happy you stepped up and the TORQUE TUBE magazine will still be coming. Also looking forward to the website. I have posted many times in the short time I've been around on this site about projects for my 38 and if you want I would be happy to submit an article about an overdrive for our cars. In any event thanks again for stepping up and keeping this going.

Actually EVANS coolant will run a little hotter than the standard 50/50 anti freeze mix but it will not boil away from the metal hot spots inside an engine. The downside of EVANS is that since it runs a little hotter the engines oil temps will also be hotter, a trade off I don't particularly like. My preference at this time would be to continue with the present 50/50 anti freeze solution however only using half as much and then adding distilled water and a bottle of WATER WETTER to top off the system, I wouldn't expect a miraculous temperature drop but if it drops at all it would be better than nothing and the engine oil temperature wouldn't be worse. In my cars case there is no problem even in 100 degree temperatures as long as the car can move, but in my city the stoplights are long and numerous. I probably have to accept the fact that these cars do not cool down in hot temperatures if they are idling. The stock cooling system is a relic to the past and is the reason why pressurized systems came into the picture. If the outside temps are in the seventies or less the traffic and the traffic lights are not a problem. Part of the experience of driving an old car is the ability to recognize its limitations and to not ignore them.

When I used EVANS in my V8 flathead Ford I also saw no difference in temperatures but unlike water it would never lose coolant even with the occasional 200 degree temperatures. Since it didn't lose coolant it always returned to 180 quite easily compared to when it lost water it had to be bought up to level or it would reach higher temperatures to easy. The RUST-MASTER product probably had something in it that the government deemed environmentally unsafe so not available anymore. Many good older products are now extinct because of this. It would be amazing if WW caused a drop of 20 degrees at idling in hot weather, that would be a dream come true for my 38 next summer.

One of the members bought up a product called WATER WETTER in another post so I thought it might be interesting to start another topic dealing with cooling system additives. In the years past I had many Ford flathead V8 engines, these are prone to running hot because of their design. I did all the upgrades I could to keep the engines as cool as possible. New or clean radiator, clean engine block water passages, correct engine timing, truck water pumps, were the main things but I also used to use a product called EVANS COOLANT that completely replaced the anti freeze and water. This stuff prevents electrollisys and will not boil until over 300 degrees if I remember right. It did not depend on a pressurized system with a pressure cap. It might be great for our BUICKS also but I haven't tried it yet. WATTER WETTER is a less expensive additive. I bought some WATER WETTER because when the temperatures start getting hot again here in Las Vegas I will add it. The directions say to use 15% less antifreeze as WATTER WETTER has anti corrosive chemicals in it and if its hot out you don't need so much antifreeze. Nothing COOLS better than straight water but straight water needs chemical corrosive inhibiters to prevent electrolysis and something to keep it from freezing. Once water does finally start to boil it leaves the system completely which leaves even less water which just makes things even worse. I will try the WATER WETTER as I've got nothing to lose when the temps get in the nineties and up. At the present time with the outside temperatures in the seventies and lower my Buick runs at only 160 so I don't need to do anything yet but when July, August and September come around I'll be searching for solutions to help the cooling system even with a new water pump and a clean block and radiator. If WATTER WETTER doesn't make me happy I will try the EVANS COOLANT which might or might not make the engine run cooler but at least will never boil away.

J B WELD has never let me down but it will show.

The cooling systems at least on the 37 and 38 Specials needs to be in top notch condition if it is to work well at temps in the nineties or over a hundred. At those temperatures long hills or long times idling in traffic at lights and then not moving very far before another light forces you to idle again and so on can cause even the best systems to reach their limits. I find that even in the high nineties or temps over a hundred if the car can just keep moving even at 30 miles per hour the temperature will stay 180 or less. If the outside temps are in the eighties my cooling system works fine even in traffic. If the temps are in the seventies or less the car mostly runs at 160 degrees and not higher than 180 degrees. In my view a good modification that would improve cooling considerably would be a custom fan shroud. Another help would be louvers in the hood as the engine compartment seems to trap heat extremely well. I won't do either of those to my car as I enjoy the challenge of keeping it original and dealing with whatever its problems are. I live in Las Vegas and during the summer its one of the hottest places in the United States, sometimes its just better to drive something else in the extremes. At this time of year its either beautiful out or its cold so the old Buick can be driven whenever I want with no concern at all about the water temperature. I have an electric heater that sticks onto the oil pan by magnetics that I will be using soon for the cold mornings. My idea of cold (40 degrees or less) is not at all like some of you guys but I like the oil to be warm when the car firs starts on a cold morning to help lubricate everything.

Something is crazy with the oil level issue. The car could not have been on a steep enough hill to read full if it had only one and one half quarts of oil in it. The oil did not leak out while on the tow truck or it would have been evident. If the rod started knocking it probably somehow lost its oil before that happened which would be what the mechanic found. The problem is the owner was aware enough to shut off the car and immediately check the oil, he saw that it was full and was probably surprised but I bet he was careful and he was correct that he saw full oil on the stick. Did he wipe it off and then reinsert it? He seems like a very careful owner as he kept a log of his maintenance. I am baffled by the oil level issue, especially if it did not go many miles since the last oil check.

Greg, I reread your post and it says when you heard the knocking you pulled over and checked the oil and it was full. You then had it towed home or to a shop. Then when the mechanic checks the oil it is almost completely out of oil, how could this be? Am I reading something wrong?

Welcome James, I will be following this thread with great interest as I have a 38 Special that I drive every day. I have a question, why do you want 9 or 10 to one compression in one of these engines? They only have about 6 to 1 stock. I think that the higher compression would be hard on everything plus develop more heat which I doubt the cooling systems if left stock could handle. The only advantage to higher compression is more power but the rest of the engine needs to be modified also if that is the goal. I dont think you could mill the head enough to get 9 or 10 to one compression so it would have to be in conjunction with different pistons and the cylinder head combustion chamber shape along with the valve angle would probably not be ideal for high compression pistons. I find that the biggest problem with these Specials is the gearing if you want to drive it at hiway speeds. Even if the motor made twice the power the gearing would still be to low to use it. I think the insert rod bearing modification is a great upgrade since the engine will be apart anyway. I'm looking forward to seeing what you end up doing and how you go about it.

Thanks Jenz, I am in contact with Dave Tacheny but no carb at this time.

I have never seen ANY wheel break by radial tires either Ben, I doubt anyone you or I know has seen that happen either. Guys been mounting radials on their old cars stock wheels since radials first came out with no problems and that was the days when most of the old cars were just transportation, not really collectable.

As the time goes on its getting a little harder to find something to do next on the 38 there always seems to be something. I ordered a rebuilt fuel pump today and it might be here this week. Mine leaks a little and I think it's the original one, the ones that are rebuilt today have parts that the ethanal in todays gas won't hurt. I also ordered a rebuild kit so that I can rebuild my original one and take it in the trunk with us when we finally go on a long trip. I would like to get another 1938 Stromberg carb with the choke to rebuild also. Does anybody know someone who might have one for sale?

I think there's lots of things that we hear about that are blown out of perportion in the automtive world today. Types and kinds of oil, leaded gasoline, tires and tire pressures, how hot or cool should the water temps be, how much zinc is enough in oil, what weight oil is best, these are some of the subjects that comes to mind. They're all interesting subjects that many of us have an opinion about but in the long run it seems that no matter what oil, what tire, what gasoline etc the cars seem to run just fine and unless we crash them they'll most likely outlast us.

Steve, I think you might be referring to something I read somewhere that our old wheels might crack if radials are mounted on them. That may be a possibility but going by my own previous experience over the last 50 years I think its unlikely. I'm 73 and started owning and driving hot rods at 16 in southern California. All the guys I knew were into hot rods. Over the years we all put radial tires on our old car rims after radials hit the market and drove the hot rods much faster and crazier then I do now. I never cracked a wheel or heard of anyone else that did either. I think if the old wheels aren't rusty or damaged they will be just fine. The old Buick wheels were made when there was terrible roads with many being not much better than dirt if they were even paved. There are many people that would argue that these old cars are not safe even if the wheels were kryptonite, after all there don't have impact bodies or impact bumpers or seat belts or safety glass and on and on and on. I still ride motorcycles and feel fine on them so radial tires on my old wheels don't make me lose any sleep. By the way Carl I'm going to adjust my mirrors the way you described on my pick up truck today and see how it works out. The old Buick doesn't have any side view mirrors and I have to turn my head sometimes because of that, oh well, no turn signals either and I don't know if people even know what my hand signals mean any more, even if they do when I drive at night I don't think they even see them. I have to look carefully at the car behind me when turning or stopping to try to determine if they also see that I am stopping or turning.

Today was a good day. The new tires arrived and are now mounted. There is no problem with clearance at the front fender which I was little worried about. The back tires have to be slid in at an angle and once under the fender they then can be turned slightly and go right on the drum. These are 750R16 with a 4 inch white wall. The tires are 8 inches wide and have a 31.14 inch diameter. They feel great driving the car and they don't have as much of a flat spot where the tire touches the ground as the 650R16 tires did. I like the way they look as they fill the fender wells better. I drove it on the freeway at 65 mph and it was perfect in my opinion. The engine is turning a lazy 2174 rpms at that speed which is exactly where I like it. I drove the uphill route on the freeway at 65 for ten miles and the engine loved it, on the return it was downhill so it was nothing to go 70 mph, but it likes 65 so thats where I drive it. Around town I don't use the overdrive but the larger tires also help the stock gearing do a better job when not in overdrive. I'm going to add some pictures so you can see how they look. Another good part about today is that I sold the tires that I took off for 600 dollars, the guy got a great deal and it helped a little with the cost of the new ones.

Jenz, I realize that its important but with the car less than 1 inch higher than a stock car and with even a little wider tire than a stock tire I doubt there will be any difference in the way the car handles with a 750 verses a 650. Both of these are radial tires which should also improve the cornering characteristics slightly over a bias tire anyway.

Waterpump replacement now done. No leaks, new fan belt, and all is fine.

Unless I somehow enter a road race I don't think the cornering will be a problem.

I turned my wheels to the spot where I would have the least possible clearance and as far as I can tell it looks like there won't be any problem. As far as judges go they will deduct points anyway because the tires are the wrong size. Most likely I'll never enter this car in a show to be judge. It did win an archiveal award in 1990 at a national BCA meet. As far as I can tell its the only 38 Special to have ever done it and it wears the badge on the grille. It was out of the Lewis Jenkins collection and he put it in that show. He owned the car over 32 years until his death when I got it. He probably wouldn't like the overdrive or the new tires as he still had the original tires on it when I got it. The problem is that Lewis was a collector with a museum and I am a driver with only one old car so I'm glad it got the award but now its getting the miles.

How true! These old cars always require something if they are driven and sometimes even if they aren't driven. The great thing is they are 100% mechanical without any computer or any other electronic gizmo. I fix mine in the driveway just like when I was a kid. The whole experience is a throwback to youth. I do feel lucky though that the 38 Buick is common enough that there are still plenty of business places and people who have parts for them. The guys with the cars from the teens and the twenties have a much harder job than me but they still manage to pull it off.

I use 15-40 CLASSIC CAR MOTOR OIL in my 38 which has 1600 ppm of zinc as ZDDP in it. Their website is www.classiccarmotoroil.com Their phone # 317 225 0040

I've decided that I want a bigger tire on my car then the size it has. The stock size in 1938 was a 650/16 tire, of course they didn't have radials back then. When I bought my car in June it still had the original tires on it which were 77 years old with only 18000 miles on them. Since I wanted to drive the car on a regular basis I bought new tires. I was told that Coker made a radial tire with a wide white wall that looked like a bias and so a set was purchased with new tubes and had the dealer that sold me the car install them before he shipped the car to me. Now I wish that I would have bought 750/16 instead of 650/16 even though it would mean that the car would lose points if it were in a AACA show. I don't care about that since I mainly just like driving the car. In any case the tires were 280.00 each and new tubes and taxes put each tire at about 325 dollars. I ordered a set of the 750//16 wide white wall tires today and they were even more, over 1600 dollars. If someone on the Pre War Buick site would like to buy the 650/16 tires I will sell all four of them with the new tubes for 600 dollars and ship them to you at cost. I paid eighty dollars to have my new ones shipped to me. The tires still are like brand new and still have the titties sticking out of them. The white walls are still flawless. I like the way the larger tires look as they will fill in the fender well better and give a slightly higher overall rear axle ratio. If interested call DAVE at 702 592 8052

Today when I came home from driving the 38 I noticed a steady leak under the car. Sure enough the waterpump was leaking. I ordered a rebuilt one from Bobs Buick Parts which they had in stock. My car was a late production 38 and already had the ball bearing pump as found in all 39's and later. I pulled off the old pump and am now waiting for the new one to arrive. Tomorrow I'll go to the hardware store and buy new bolts as all the original ones are rusty. I'll also put a new belt on it since the ld one had to be taken off anyway. Maybe I helped cause the demise of the rubber seal in the late model pump since I flushed the cooling system with many chemicals for three or four days a few weeks ago. At least the car runs cool now and a new pump and belt should be the end of the cooling system upgrades for the foreseeable future.