Gary W

My '37 used three types of molding clips: 1. Studded (like above) that used a #10-24 stud. EVERY running board trim clip was of this type as was the front most and rear most clips for the hood side molding and the very rear clip for the "trunk" molding, (rear quarter) the strip all the way back. 2. Push-in style: These clips have to be able to fit the 3/16" holes in the body. (Some of the repros were too large at 5/16" and would not work.) My car had TWO TYPES of "push-in" or "snap-in" molding clips: A. The hood and the doors used the type that has the long spring arm that you snap into position. B. The cowl and trunk (rear quarter) molding used another type snap-in that has a "double rounded" bottom that engages the molding. Running board uses ALL the studded type fastener. I got new SS hardware for mounting. Line up the fastener with the holes and snap them in. My running board used a #10 - 24 stud and hardware. These are the "snap-in" fasteners that were used for the hood and doors only. (not hood molding first and last, not the rear quarter, not the cowl, not running board) These, once lined up correctly, just require a good push and they snap right into position. This is the other type "snap-in" that my car had. These have the "double rounded" bottom that fits in the molding. These were used in the cowl and the rear quarter only, (except the very rear most which was studded). They look a lot better cleaned up and painted. I don't know if all these different fasteners were used by Buick originally, but this type is "wider" so to speak so it fills the body holes more completely. I mention this because in the Fisher body manual, it notes to seal the trunk molding so no water gets in. So I used a permatex black sealant around each of these, and the shape is better for keeping the sealant in place. Here's the rear-most studded clip for the rear quarter molding. Again, suggested to seal the hole like the factory does it. So I checked and double-checked that all the clips were properly aligned, used a bit of sealant around the base of the clip and snap her in. Again, this is how my car was assembled, so I replicated the same clip usage. Hope it helps! Gary

Be sure your battery is disconnected or at least the master kill switch is off. Easy to short something out back there in those tight spaces!

January 11, 2021: Four Years Ago Today I Started my Restoration: Today marks four years since I removed the bumpers and started my restoration. That was January 11, 2017. I can't believe how fast the time goes. I took her out for a nice run, and I thought this was kind of cool on the odometer: It's been a great 1,937 miles so far!! Happy New Year guys and gals! Gary

my running boards were re-vulcanized back to original. That area in red is now 3/4" thick with rubber. Here's the restoration link:

67" on my '37 Special Front

I also used Bill the Radio Guy and I am very pleased. He installed a blue tooth chip in there so I can listen to my Goodman, Shaw, Miller, Dorsey and James all day! I love it. He also wired in extra speaker wire in case I ever want to add rear speakers and he hid a USB pigtail so I can charge my cell phone if needed. All in all I highly recommend his work.

Hi Eddie! Since LeBaron went out of business, I have been looking to make custom carpeted floor mats to go over and protect my interior carpet from dirty shoes, heels.... I requested a sample board from SMS Auto Fabrics in Canby, OR. My samples were just delivered today. (took about 3 weeks to arrive). But their samples will easily match the color scheme of my car. I'm thinking I'll make a template, order enough carpet, cut the floor mats and have them bound locally in a brown leather binding. They also list "pre-made carpet set" so maybe they can help you out. Gary

I checked CARS, Inc. On page 71 there is front stabilizer parts / bushings / kits:

Here's the location on my '37: The two rubber bumpers. Large one is the lower Upper one fits right in that small hole in the chassis Lower is encapsulated by the heavy steel retainer bolted to the lower control arm. Sits right next to your coil spring Gary

Here's the "build" of my headlights:

Hi Paul; Just an idea, but would you consider a "self-adhesive" felt strip for the perimeter so you don't have to tack it in place? the weight of the board would surely hold the felt secure and if it gets all gunky and spoiled after use it can be easily peeled and replaced. Mc Master Carr sells it in different grades, heights, widths....... Gary

Hi Matt! I was planning to do a post on the front end / shocks... on my Model 48. I bought the car in for a front end alignment, and in the end, had new king pins, shocks, lower control arm shafts and bushings. I asked them to photograph as they went along, but I only got a few photos. But let me show you how they handled the lower control arm: Lower control arm inner shaft that had a good 1/4" movement up and down. Look at that steel spring compressor in the upper right corner of this photo. That is how they unloaded the coil spring. Another view of the spring compressor set in position and dialed in. The tie rod end is hanging free. At this point, they were able to remove the control arm outer The entire assembly swings down free, the spring compressor still intact. There's the back side. I hope this is about what you were looking for. I wish they let me hang out in the shop but insurance reasons kept me away. I really wanted to document the step - by - step procedure. But, now with everything tightened up and aligned, the difference in the ride and handling is night and day. If you need any other close ups.. let me know. Gary

My '37 Special has these square metal splash shields in the rear fenders. There is a circular design stamped into them. I can get you detailed photos of the attachments.... Let me know what you need. Gary Feb 2017 at the tear down stage but you can actually see this better. LEFT REAR FENDER Restored, inside the left rear fender. I had my shields powder coated during restoration. Gary

I was looking at that unit and I figured the solder joint must come into play for the adjustment but in the back of my mind I was kinda ready to get a new sender so I figured just adjust the wheel that hits the stop and see what happens. When I saw the OHM meter readings go from 5.7 to 3.3 with just a little grind, I went a little more and she read 2.1... I just kept going until I was running out of meshed teeth. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it. Gary

Saturday November 28, 2020: Diagnosis and fix Fuel Tank Sending Unit: A methodical approach to figure out where the trouble lies. I took this advice and went about the diagnostics very methodically. I'll go through each step using photos: THE FIRST SIX PHOTOS SHOW DIAGNOSTIC TESTS THAT WERE ALL RUN WITHOUT REMOVING THE TANK THESE WERE ALL DONE RIGHT IN THE CAR AND GIVE YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION: Locate the bayonet coupling in the trunk. This is the wire that sends information from the sender to the dash gauge. Yellow goes directly to your dash gas gauge. Black drops under the trunk and attaches to the sending unit. FIRST: With the KEY ON, I simply unplugged the bayonet base and separated the two wires. With the sender wire free, the dash gauge immediately pinned to FULL I then attached a small wire to a clip in the trunk for ground, and touched the yellow wire and the gauge bottomed out right on the EMPTY mark. So the dash unit is functioning OK. Next, I emptied the tank completely. My gauge shows just under the 1/4 tank mark when bone dry. (This is where it was when I ran out of gas on the road) With the tank empty, I again went into the trunk with my ohm meter. I used ground from the lamp housing in the trunk lid, then touched the black wire that is connected directly to the sender. With an empty tank, my sending unit is showing 6.1 OHMS. (I think at this point it should be at or close to zero) I'm showing this photo only because in my car, the sender float bottoms out RIGHT AT THE DRAIN OPENING. I could look right up there and see the float sitting on the bottom of the tank. So I went in for a better look at things: Horrible photo, but from my scope camera. The bright spot at the bottom is the sunlight coming in with the drain plug removed. The float and the fuel pick up tube are visible. (If you squint!) In future pictures you'll be able to make this one out better. The other thing the camera picked up is when the float is bottomed out against the floor of the gas tank, the arm doesn't quite hit the stop. So I now know the float is bottoming out too early. SO FAR, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE: 1. Tank Bone Dry 2. Sender wire free 3. Sender wire grounded 4. Key OFF I removed the tank and double checked the OHMS here as well. Confirmed 6.1 OHMS So I removed the sender and bought it into the garage on the bench. When I tested the sender on the bench, the float was allowed to fully drop. It was better, but still a long way off at 5.7 OHMS Sender at full drop and seated against the stop. Showing 5.7 OHMS. I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO ADJUST THE STOP. So, what I did was use my dremel and S-L-O-W-L-Y removed metal from the area marked with the "X" above. With every pass of the dremel, the OHM Meter would drop a little, a little..... So here is the before and after of the sending unit where it contacts the "stop" I guess I could have gone a little more, but I was afraid of going past the point where the teeth don't mesh and ruining the whole thing. But you can clearly see the angle change of the unit after removing some of the metal So, after removing the metal and allowing the float to fully drop against the "NEW" stop, I got it down to 0.6 OHMS. I stopped there as it is much closer to zero and at the end of its workable area. Once I had this measurement, I went back and forth to the tank. I set the unit in the tank and looked up the drain hole. Still hitting. Bent the arm a little. Tried again. Still hitting. Bent a little more, tried again..... Finally, I got the unit so where the float was just about 1/2" off the bottom of the tank and at its NEW STOP. Here is the sender before and after. The metal removed to allow it to drop fully, and the arm bent so it doesn't hit the bottom of the tank. The arm actually had a downward bend at the beginning. It needed a serious bend to clear the tank bottom. One last bench measurement confirms the 0.6 OHMS. Now, install the unit into the tank, still sitting on the ground, and again confirm 0.6 OHMS. I then measured up through the drain hole one last time to be sure of my clearance and I have just under 1/2" before she hits. NEW DATA AFTER ALL ADJUSTMENTS AND TANK RE-INSTALLED: Bone Dry 2 gallons 3 gallons 4 gallons AND 1 gallon of gas So, this morning I had to get her out and check out my work. I left the house with exactly 4 gallons of gas in the tank and drove to Sunoco where I put in another 10 gallons. 4 gallons 14 gallons That mark seemed pretty realistic for 14 gallons, about where I expect it to show. The only thing I notice is that the dash gauge is definitely more "wavy" as I accelerate, brake and turn. At the lights and on smooth highway, it holds nice. I'll check my mileage and my gauge often but overall I'm happy with the results and I feel I can trust the gauge. Again, thanks for all your help, especially BLOO, who's instructions were very very helpful. Also.... If that is NOT the way to adjust the "STOP", please chime in! I don't want anyone to make a faulty repair on my advice. Thanks again, and... Have a good night out there! Be Safe! Gary

Saturday November 28, 2020: 1937 Buick Fuel Tank Removal to gain access to the Fuel Sending Unit: For those following along, my sender was signaling that I had a quarter tank of fuel when in actuality, the tank was bone dry. I was left on the side of the road, and my wife came with a 5-gallon can of gas and I was on my way. I came here and got great advice from Bloo and others, but especially Bloo who basically walked me through the diagnostics to locate the problem. I followed every step, and I think I've got it fixed! So I send a sincere thank you out to my fellow forum members once again. I'm breaking up tonight's post into TWO SEPARATE POSTS: 1. Gas tank removal. I think it's good to go over some of the basics to show anyone contemplating this job that it can be done in about 40 minutes. 2. Diagnose and "fix" the sender. A separate post just dealing with the sending unit. The diagnostics that I ran, the "fixes" that I made and the results. Here goes! Step - By - Step Gas Tank / Sending Unit Removal: With the car still on the ground: 1. Release the bayonet base wire (sending unit wire) in the trunk and pushed the wire through the hole and rest it on top of the tank 2. Remove the gas filler neck and rubber fender grommet. (Originally you would unscrew the "extension" that protrudes out of the fender from the tank filler pipe. My car's filler pipe was cut and the previous owner simply used a heavy duty hose and clamps to attach the two.) 3. Remove completely the fill pipe support clamp from the chassis and the fill pipe and slide it off. The rest is done with the car raised at least a foot: 4. Jack the car up at least a foot, and securely set jack stands under the frame by the rear running board support irons. Chock the front wheels. 5. Drain the tank into a suitable container by removing the 9/16" plug from the bottom of the tank. 6. Once you have it mostly drained, replace the 9/16" plug as gas will spill out when you twist and turn to drop it free. 7. Disconnect the fuel supply line from the front of the tank. Need a 9/16" and a 1/2" flare wrench 8. Remove the gas tank support straps using a 9/16" deep socket 9. Tank is now loose and ready to drop (If it has't already!) By pushing the drivers side up and forward you can carefully turn the tank and it will come down. 10. There may be a dedicated ground wire attached to the base of the sending unit. If not, you may consider adding one before re-installation. 11. Remove the sender wire from the sending unit. It's a good time to check the end is soldered tight and the insulation/shrink wrap is good. 12. Sending unit is affixed with 5 machine screws and a gasket. Photos of each step: 1. Locate the sender wire in the trunk. Release the bayonet coupling and push the black wire through to the top of the tank. Be sure it is free and won't get snagged on the supports or get pinched when the tank comes down. 2. Remove the gas filler neck that protrudes through the fender. In my car, the previous owner cut the original tank fill pipe and replaced it with a heavy hose and clamps. In an original car, the extension unscrews from the tank fill pipe. Gently twisting and careful of the paint, remove the rubber grommet and filler extension completely. The hose stayed together, which made reinstallation a little easier. 3. Completely remove the fill pipe support clamp from the chassis and the pipe. (That photo is from the restoration, easier to see) This is how it looks working under the finished car. Slide it off the pipe completely. 4. Jack the car up at least a foot. Support the frame with heavy jack stands. I also chocked the front wheels. 5. Remove the 9/16' plug and let the tank drain into a suitable container. 6. I then lightly replace the drain plug because more gas will spill out as you turn it trying to remove it. 7. Disconnect the fuel supply line. You'll need a 9/16" and a 1/2" flare wrench. Before I started disconnecting the fuel line, I turned off my plug valve which I recently installed with my electric priming pump. It stops the siphon effect and keeps the fuel pump filled. And a little less gas gets in your eyes! Now disconnected, that's the last part before the support straps come down. 8. Use a 9/16" DEEP SOCKET to remove the nuts that hold the support straps tight. I did the one near the fill pipe first (passenger's side). The fill pipe acts like a helping hand when you do the other side. 9. The tank is now loose and ready to drop. You may have to push against the muffler hanger a bit. I had to push up on the driver's side while turning the tank and the fill pipe snakes out of its opening and boom. It's out. 10. Be aware of the wires. I have a dedicated ground wire. I left plenty of slack to drop the tank if needed. If you do not have a dedicated ground to the sender, please consider installing one before you replace the tank. 11. Remove the sender wire and the ground wire from the sending unit. 12. Remove the five mounting screws and carefully raise the unit out of the tank. It will require a 90 degree tip to get the float out. Next post will document all the diagnostics and the modification to the sender to get it to work properly. Gary

Bloo.... Thank you for the step-by-step instructions! I really appreciate it! I'm really hoping a simple bend in the arm will fix it, but I'm going to have a new one on hand from Bob's just in case. All my gauges, INCLUDING the sending unit were restored by Bob's in Howell MI. All my wiring is new, soldered ends and a dedicated ground wire to the sender I think that's a good backup plan. Did you have to "calibrate" once inside your tank or simply drop it in? I'm assuming the float is not cork? And..... do you have the flared fitting or the "rubber hose" connection. I prefer the flare if possible. I still have the fan. It still works fine, and it is all cleaned up and boxed. I don't know if I'll ever use it, only because it completely hides your vision of the dash panel instrument cluster when it's on the column. And, I like the dash looking as "clean" as possible. But a lot of people get a kick out of that fan, so maybe as a "car show" accessory? BACK TO THE TANK: I just learned that the sender has a "brake" sort-of on it to slow the undulations as gas sloshes around back there. I didn't know that, and I'm not sure my "brake" is really working as my gauge does tend to bounce around, I figured it was just normal. BUT.. As I think of it, the dash gauge slipped under the 1/4 mark, and stopped "bouncing". I didn't give it a thought. But it makes sense that the float hit the floor of the tank before it hit the bottom stop of the sender. (...and it was most likely doing this with the previous owner as well. When I had it restored, they restored the mechanism to 0-30 ohm, but they wouldn't bend the arm) Going forward, the first thing I'm going to do is drive it for about 30 miles to burn the 5 gallons down to about 2-3 gallons. I'll watch the dash gauge as it approaches the 1/4 mark and when it stops "bouncing" I'll get my scope camera down the tank and try to visualize where the float actually is. If I can get a direct visualization, that would be a great start to tracking down the fix. Thanks for all your help! It's always appreciated. Gary

Wednesday November 25, 2020: I ran out of gas on my way home I now have 1800 miles on the Buick and enjoying every minute of every ride! I'm still getting "this and that" done on the car, and I'm planning a couple updates soon. But this afternoon I drove over to visit my friend John and bring him one of my wife's pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. John lives only 2.5 miles away. On my way home, she lurched, died, came back alive, lurched again and just stopped on the side of the road. (The Buick, not my wife) I was only about 2 miles from home and my wife ran over with my 5-gallon gas can, and in minutes I was up and running and back home. The problem is that the dash gauge was showing just slightly under 1/4 tank. My routine is to add 10 gallons as soon as she gets to the 1/4 tank mark, and I was actually on my way to the Sunoco station when it stopped. During the restoration, I had my original sending unit completely restored. I thought it was working fine, but I never let it get lower than that 1/4 mark. I guess I was running on fumes, thinking I still had 4-5 gallons in the tank. Now, the funny thing is when I bought the car, it had black electric tape on the dash gauge at the 1/4 mark as the warning to fill up. I thought that since I had it all restored, I was good to go. I wonder if this sender float is bottoming out inside the tank? So, I guess I'll be back under there soon, pulling the tank and running the sender through its range, checking the dash as I go. Right now, I know I have only 5 gallons in the tank and the needle is just under the 1/2 mark on the dash. According to the Buick manual, the dash gauge should show "E" when there is 1 1/2 gallons reserve in the tank. I figure with an 18-gallon tank, minus the reserve, the dash unit should reflect approximately 4 gallons per quarter. So when the dash gauge is at 1/2, I figure there should be about 9 - 10 gallons in the tank. Has anyone tried the new senders from Bob's? I'm thinking that may be a better way to go. Or maybe I can bend the float arm up a little? I'm up for any thoughts. In the meantime, I'll keep it above the half line! Happy Thanksgiving! 4 years ago I bought the car. The previous owner had black tape on the spot where it was time to fill up! It's just so odd that it ran out of gas at that same spot today. This is the gauge with ONLY 5 gallons of gas in the tank. It's too high. I think 5 gallons should put the needle just under the 1/4 mark on the dash gauge, not the 1/2 mark. I figure there should be about 8-9 gallons in the tank at this position. Hope you all enjoy and make the best of your Thanksgiving Gary

There are a few Brooklin examples on eBay now. I don't know if they are the detail you are looking for. I've always found the Franklin Mint usually excels in the detail department, but I don't know if they make any Buicks from the '20's or '30's in O Scale. They make a '50's model Buick in 1/48. These Brooklin models are on eBay now:

Here's my tank before and after restoration: Like Matt explained, my filler neck is cut shorter than the original length. Out and almost ready for shipment. Installed. You can see the reddish coating inside. all buttoned up Gary

Gas Cap.... as it is on my car My '37 came to me like this, so I got a new outside gas cap, powder coated the fill tube, replaced the hose with a heavy duty marine-grade version. This is how it looks finished on the outside. There is two types of rubber grommets. Use the one on the right with that nice molded "crease" in it. It fits perfectly to the fender contour. Here you can see how nice the grommet seals So, like I said, my car has this filler that used a hose to attach it to the tank. I do not know if this is correct, but its what I had and it works nicely. It actually gives you a little "wiggle room" to get the grommet lined up just right. I had my tank completely restored and it has a reddish powder coat on the inside surface. Hope these help! Gary

underside of front seat with all the hardware attached. Sorry for the low-res but the layout of the floor hardware. Here's how they all fit together. You access the front hold down through that hole just behind the angled metal strap. That hold-down is the last piece installed to lock it all in position. Gary

Hi Bill! I have a 1937 Model 48, two door, trunk back sedan. I documented a full, frame-up restoration on this forum a couple years ago. I'll link to my restoration here, hopefully may help with any "sorting out" when you take delivery. Great car. Can't wait to see photos! Good Luck! Gary

Hi Robby! Yes those plates would go on any car registered in Morris County, NJ in 1940. NJ issued two plates to every registered automobile annually until the '50's (except '43 (war steel ration..)) In 1926, NJ began using "County Codes" on our plates. At first it was just a single letter designating the county before the numbers. From 1939 to 1951 the state went to two-letter county codes, that were "stacked" on the left side before the numbers. By "stacking" the letters, the plates were made smaller, maybe an attempt to save money on materials? So, your "VH" county code is for Morris County, NJ. Install them for the car shows.... they add a level of authenticity to the car. Gary That is Morris County. Right in the middle of North Jersey.

Here's my 1937 Buick at night: Driver's view Passenger's view