EmTee

That sounds pretty close to the amount of torque I applied using the box end of my combination wrench.

It sounds to me like the inductive pickup is not very sensitive. Try moving the inductive pickup closer to the distributor cap; maybe that will help. You could also try getting a solid (wire) core spark plug wire to use with the timing light in place of the normal number 1 plug wire.

Yes, but don't forget to factor-in the shipping cost...

^^^ There's the cold tire' bump'... FWIW, I think they look good. Is it that they look 'too white' that you don't like? If so, I suspect they will lose some of that brightness as they age.

Glad to see the Limited getting some well-deserved drive time.

Polyester/steel? Hopefully they smooth out once they warm up. Flat-spotting when cold used to be common with bias-ply nylon cord tires.

I think I paid ~15 bucks for the 'big' NAPA filter for my GP last year and thought that was ridiculous. I justified it by noting that given the miles driven per year, I get 2 or 3 years out of the filter by just changing the oil annually.

Crazy...

Did you replace the gaskets, or just the bolts/washers? Check that each washer is pressing on both manifold 'ears'. Maybe you'll need to tweak a couple of the washers with a file to get them to contact both manifolds.

Yes, I dealt with those when I had to change the intake manifold gasket on my '85 Delta 88. GM had a lot of trouble with intake manifolds leaking coolant at that time. It was a straightforward task, but took hours as Glenn noted. I used masking tape and a Sharpie to mark every hose prior to disassembly. A number of them were hard or cracked, so I replaced nearly all of them at that time. The other thing I recall about that engine was lifting the valley pan and seeing a roller cam!

Yes, but the one in my '85 Delta 88 Royale was buttery smoooooth....

"Snug" Not too tight, but not loose either. If there's no exhaust leaks, then they're tight enough. Just check them following several drive cycles and snug them up as needed. They should eventually remain snug once the gaskets take a 'set'. I put a box-end wrench on my '38 every so often just to check that they remain tight.

Springs like those were used on GM rear brakes well into the '70s (and likely later). You could also try going to your local NAPA to see what they have.

It's good to second-guess the initial plan. I think you're right about removing the second tier from at least part of the area. It's hard to imagine all of the odd-shaped/oversize items that will need to be stored. One suggestion is to look at plastic storage bins for keeping smaller, related items together. If you find any that you like in particular, make sure they will fit under the shelf above, or can be stacked to utilize the available height with minimal wasted space. Carry on!

Some penetrating oil on the head bolts can't hurt, but won't really do much for the threads in the block. Go slow and work each head bolt back-and-forth (i.e., loosen a little, then tighten a little) to help clear the threads until the bolt begins to turn freely. Not sure how heavy the head is, but the issue will be awkward handling, so best to have a helper or at least go slow and watch your fingers. Before you clean anything, post pictures of the sealing surfaces of the head and block. Careful inspection should reveal any leaks that were present. Also look closely at the #2 piston crown. As Bloo said above, there may be visible damage to the top of the piston or the outer circumference. Rotate the crankshaft by hand to lower the piston to the bottom of the bore and inspect the cylinder wall for damage. What happens next will depend upon what you find...

Start looking now...

I think you're probably right. Have you tried pouring a couple of ounces of oil into the cylinder and taking a 'wet' compression reading? If a ring issue, that may increase the compression by 10 ~ 15 psi. If you have air available you could try pressurizing that cylinder and listen for air escaping. Based on your observations, the hissing will likely come from the crankcase rather than the tailpipe or carburetor. In any case, it sounds like the head needs to come off...

Looks like a solid car and Earl's paint job seems to be holding up pretty well. I need to stop looking at this car now...

Wow - whoever buys this will not arrive anywhere unnoticed...

https://bobsautomobilia.com/shop/literature-decals/1939-owners-manual-om-39/

How many miles (total) on the engine? When did Buick switch to insert bearings for the camshaft? Seems odd that they wouldn't have eliminated the poured bearings all at once. At least you'll have cooler temperatures in the garage for awhile...

Perfect!

Is that a Buick under all of that gewgaw...?

Between those pointy fins and the dual antennas, opening the rear glass and tailgate must be like petting a porcupine - eye protection may be beneficial!

The easiest solution may be tapping into the feed from the high-mounted stop light, as that wire is already in the 'boot' (ha!). Cut the brake/signal wire at the tail lamp socket and attach the feed from the high-mounted stop light to the socket pigtail you created. Loop the cut end of the original harness back on itself and bury the cut end under a piece of shrink-sleeve tubing. You can 'daisy-chain' the brake feed from the first socket to each of the others across the tail panel. If done carefully, everything should be reversible if someone ever wants to restore the factory connections.