SpecialEducation

Sorry, I misread "roadster project" as "roadmaster project."

I'm gonna start by saying I already don't trust your potential donor engine. a 2bbl out of a Roadmaster? I don't think so. I think what we are seeing here is what normally drives folks to LS swaps... not that I'm condoning it! I tend to think that you are unnecessarily discounting the engine you have. If it's been gone through with new pistons & such, you are probably miles ahead of the unknowns related to the other engine. We KNOW it has one bad piston already, so even if you can get by with a hone, you should be looking at a full set of pistons & rings for it. Maybe the crank needs turned, maybe the valves need to be replaced... this can go downhill FAST. There's no reason to suspect your current pistons are shot or the engine is in need of any major machine work. Modern materials & processes give us much more reliable parts than we had in 1956. Yeah, maybe your heads are sketchy, but rebuilding salvage heads is a long way from the cost of a full long block. That's where a good leakdown test will pay off. If there's blow-by, you need to identify the where & why. Back when this car was new, re-ringing (or even re-sleeving) one or two cylinders in lieu of a full rebuild was commonplace. I understand that it might be nice to do a swap over the weekend and move on, but the devil you know is usually better than the devil you don't. This spare engine sounds like a money pit to me. I'll also add that one of the important things I learned in college was that it's really hard to have a project car as a daily driver. At one point, I broke down and bought a $300 F*rd station wagon. That car was a PITA sometimes, but it got me around when my turbo Opel engine was in the machine shop (which was often).

I like working on tubeset radios, and the originality and nostalgia of the Sonomatic, but there's just nothing on AM radio in this area that I'm interested in listening to when cruising in the '56. Hopefully you've got better programming in your area.

Hi Dan, glad you are here! I've been a big fan of turbo Buicks since the late '80s myself, but have never owned one. I've been tracking prices on these for a while now, and it's amazing the wide price ranges I see on these things. Are you on Facebook? There are a few groups I'm in over there where the guys have been pretty helpful with breaking down some of the factors that affect the value of these cars.

Hi Steve, I hope there might be a Skylark in the future for you, too!

My dad likes the noise. He says it makes him feel nostalgic. Whatever.

The real story: https://www.facebook.com/1956Buick/posts/1262768057132063

In Wichita, ethanol free is about 50¢ more (currently $2.70/gal).

Geez... You can get AVGAS with genuine TEL for less than that!

OK, I know we have talked about this, and it appears that Buick did different things in different years, so I'm looking for someone to settle this once and for all... We know that there are 3 different compression ratios used in 1956 322s. My '56 factory manual states that the Synchromesh got lower domed pistons, and that ALL series got .015" head gaskets. We also know that there are 2 head castings out there for 1956 cars (not worried about the trucks). When I look up replacement parts, I see that Fel-pro lists two sets for high & low compression, and I think that may be applicable for '54 & '55, but if all series got the same thickness in '56, is that all the "high compression" gaskets? I see others selling .045", so I assume that's the low compression. Let's stop assuming. Can someone tell me the factory part numbers for the pistons, head gaskets, & head castings for 1956 322s for 40 series SM & Dynas, and the same for the 50-60-70 series engines? Sorry if this has been answered before somewhere and I couldn't find it. I'm still having tremendous issues with viewing this site. I find a lot of 'in 54 they did this' and 'in 55 they did that' stuff. I want to nail (heh) this down for '56. Thanks...

Absolutely. Ours was single exhaust from the factory and we converted to dual using the original manifolds, but I've seen nothing in the original materials that suggested there was any requirement to bundle any of these...

The issue with pot metal is that impurities in it seriously affects the chrome. When rechroming it, you need to chemical strip it. Mechanical stripping & rework can embed more impurities into the pot metal, which pisses of the chrome. Virgin pot metal is pretty easy to work with, it's the used stuff that's a nightmare. That's why repros are more economical than refinishing originals.

The auction above is Bob's. I'm sure Bob's & Cars are made in the same factory.

I'm having issues with the forums that makes PMs difficult, but here's a couple links: http://www.oldbuickparts.com/cart/fender-porthole-1953-buick-p-6488.html http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/111146690117

Remind me what year we are talking about. We bought repros because they were cheaper than rechroming our originals. I'm not going to say they are factory perfect, but they are pretty good...

Of course, I feel silly... The word "Top" is always there, whether you get a code with it or not.

Hmmm... You've got a good one, there. I've never seen a number for a paint code, either...

Rain-X is really just wax suspended in acetone. Liquid, paste, or whatever, it gets more effective the thicker it gets. Apply often to achieve best results. If it's already raining, it is too late. I was a skeptic for a long time, but once I got a good layer on, I was amazed.

I've considered bashing into an old wiper control for a slicker look, but that's pretty far down the to-do list. Our wiper control knob is in an existing hole in the bottom of the dash. Not very convenient, but mostly out of sight...

My wife says she'll take it. Of course, she has no money, so I doubt you two will be able to reach an equitable agreement...

Oh, a '56 grille. Wonder if it's the big one or the little one...

there were 2 sizes and im not sure which was which, but heres one of them: https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-77022-Chevrolet-Oldsmobile-Replacement/dp/B000B68BPE

our FM/mp3 module...

looks like electroplating marks from here...

I can't imagine rechroming would be economically feasible. Those are standard GM parts, used on lots of models. Interior and exterior handles are available new from Dorman for less than $15 each.