Doug1414

Sounds like something I would do!!! Gonna use a logging chain to install everything. That way I will sound like Santa Claus going down the road. Doug1414 50 Special 41D 2nd Owner 05 Le Sabre Custom 3rd Owner

Well after listening to "this group" my best bet is to vice-grip one on (or maybe tie one on) and then weld it into place and so on and so on. It's nice to know that I can always count on an intelligent discourse from my fellow Buick aficionados. You guys are the best. See you on the highway with my crooked grille. Doug1414 50 Special 41D 2nd Owner 05 Le Sabre Custom 3rd Owner

I am guessing all three of you are nuts. Well, that makes four of us!!! Unless 1953mack is telling the truth. I will know in the morning. Did not get to it today. The honey do list was massive. Thanks. Doug1414 50 Special 40D 2nd owner 05 Le Sabre Custom 3rd Owner

It's been a while since I have been around. Went through a sickness and then an operation. I could not do car stuff. Hopefully I am back to it. As usual I need help again. I have had the car painted but it still needs buffing. I will do all that work as soon as possible. I purchased the BOSS system from Griot's Garage and will start a 5 step process with my DA when I can. I started installing the chrome on the front bumper. It was already removed when I got the car. I started realizing the pieces were different and stamped zero thru eight. I spent about an hour trying to make them look the same from the front but am having a tough time with it. Does anyone know how the sequence works? I have tried going one direction and then back the other way. So I am going out today and will not pay attention to the stamped numbers. Just going to hang them and see what I can do. I feel pretty stupid as there are only nine pieces. I can rebuild the motor but cannot figure out the chrome on the front!!! SOME PEOPLE'S KIDS!!! Doug1414 50 Special 40D 2nd Owner 05 Le Sabre Custom 3rd Owner

1953mack: Boy am i jealous. Here on the Oregon Coast we don't even have any type of junkyard. Have to go to Portland for that. Lucky you. My Buick is 12 miles from me now so I cannot run out and check out your info about the CSN. I will dream about it until Monday. I had told you earlier about being suspect of the lighter green color I sanded down to. Well, today I found three other areas and ran into Geneva Green all three times. The first time I got unlucky and sanded down to a repaired area that had been taken down to bare metal and all I found was the colors of the primer and putty and new color. So this time I went to the roof first and there it was. Dark Geneva Green. YEA!!! Two other places to back that up. So the data plate I have is definitely for this car because the upholstery matches the #43 also. GETTING CLOSER!!!. I am betting the CSN I find Monday (Thanks to you) will start with a "2" which means a California car which is where the 1st owner bought it. I have the California title with his name on it and the number matches the engine boss so everything is coming up roses. (Or is that Geneva Green?) Thanks for the pics. Wish I was there. And while you are there grab that tire on the back of the Jetback pic you sent as I need a spare. Doug1414 50 Special 2nd Owner 05 Le Sabre 3rd Owner

Well, that is all good news. Thanks retirednow for the "under the wheel well" info. I have not done a 100% search as have been inundated with a million other concerns. And thanks to 1953mack for dialing in the ESNs and the CSNs in my mind. I will never understand why people ever remove a data plate from any machine ever built!!! To 1953mack: I removed some paint with my DA down to bare metal and found a yellow base (maybe a primer) with a green over that. It is a dark green but not as dark as a Geneva Green should be (I think), which is the color that matches the data plate I have (14). But then I do not know if this car sat out in the California sun for 20 or 30 or 40 years which would of made it lighter. I will try to contact the original owner again but he is getting along now so I have to relay everything through his wife which turns very filtered as she has no clue and comes back from conversations with him that don't quite answer the questions I ask and I do not want to make waves as she is also over 90 I believe. The good news is the trim #43 denotes a grey striped upholstery which matches. So the trim number is correct and the faded dark green below the AWFUL paint job someone did (not sure when) seems to be correct if you take into consideration all the years in the California sun fading the paint. The car was sold by Fletcher Motor Company (Buick Dealer) in San Jose, California to the Hansen's which is the name on the title I have from California. And if what you read about California cars using ESNs instead of CSNs is correct then all is well as the title and the engine boss match. Looking forward to finding the CSN in the frame. I am guessing you are right and I will find a prefix #2 for South Gate assembly plant. I am looking at the original bill of sale and this car was ordered, not bought off the lot. So it makes sense that General Motors would build an ordered car in South Gate when ordered in San Jose. Starting to get excited about matching numbers again. I find it interesting that directional signals were added as an option for $10.60. So now that original question is answered also. Thank you sir for all your help. So to make a LONG STORY longer. Today I am putting a primer over the worst paint job you ever saw. Or I should say my good buddy is. I have been sanding for 4 days and am happy that stretch is over. Arms and shoulders wondering which war we have been in. In about 4 or 5 days it should have its new coat(s) of Geneva Green and feel good about the world again. Then comes the tasks of placing chrome on the front and rear and sides and around windows. I am blessed with a car that the chrome is just gorgeous. I will probably be picking all your brains out there for some info on that. After that I am building door cards. Wish me luck. Can ANYONE tell me the best place to purchase the clips for installing all the window surround and side clips? Doug1414 50 Buick Special 2nd Owner 05 Buick Le Sabre Custom 3rd Owner

Thank you 1953mack. This will take some research. The VIN on the title, which is in the original family name who bought it new matches the number on the right side of the engine boss. The bill of sale from the Buick Dealer matches the family name. But the Body by Fisher plate I found in the boxes of parts is not making sense as the number on the engine boss clearly starts with a 6 which means Atlanta. And you are saying the Body Plate suggests South Gate, California. So the number stamped on the frame near the master cylinder (which I have looked high and low for) must be found. Should I be under the car? Manual says left frame side frame rail. Is a side frame rail not different than the main frame rail?? I must admit to having boxes of multiple parts. Gauges and hinges and other stuff so I may be dealing with two or more cars. OUCH!! I talked with the original owner who is over 90 but in great shape and he told me it was the original engine. BUT his son had it the last couple years and he has passed. The frame number is huge. I love the car either way and it was never purchased for profit but I did expect to be buying an original car. Maybe if it was on a lift and I could get a better perspective underneath it would help. The glass wing window has: AS-2-CG but one side window has what I believe to be AS 5C. The C may not be a C though. Tomorrow I will look into the generator and starter #'s and let you know. And the 70% of all 1950 Buick's built in 1949 quote I stated I could not find in my Buick literature so it must of been forum stuff or just plain internet which we all know how reliable that is. So the final of all this is that if the frame has the same number as the title and the engine boss I have an original car. So the body plate with style #4469D must of come from another car they were getting parts from. The motor was definitely installed in Atlanta with a 6 as the first digit. But the Body Plate might come from my car as it was sold in California and built in South Gate, California. Might be a while before I can get it up on a lift. Like I said. Love it either way. Thanks for all your help. Doug1414 50 Special 41D 2nd Owner 05 Le Sabre Custom 3rd Owner

Yes Ben. Your car looks exactly like mine. Stainless around everything. So is has to be a 41D as Bill has stated. I am wondering about installing it after paint. Must be a bear not to scratch. And I have some clips but am not sure if I have them all as have not delved into that yet. Is there a place to buy a whole set? Might be an easier task with new ones. Or maybe the original clips will fit better???? And thanks to Joseph for the cleaner/wax tip. Will definitely go in that direction. So Ben, my body #8087 means it was the 8087th of that body built that year? And Style 4069D indicates the trunk style as shown in your signature? Hope to publish pictures in a week or two. Having issues with front fender and hood alignment. Not because of former damage but because of all the different places you can adjust. 35 to 40 bolts with elongated holes all which affect the outcome. Spend a few hours yesterday adjusting right front door to match opening. But ended up with a nice fit. Had door off multiple times and it finally came together. Ended up with a 2 x 4 in the hinge slowly closing door and bending hinge/door jam so everything matches. I remember swinging on my dads doors in the early 50's and now I know why it made him crazy. Thanks gentlemen, Doug1414 50 Special 41D 2nd Owner 05 Le Sabre Custom 3rd Owner

Thanks. Between your information and the manual I see now that I have a 41D Model which is a Series 40. That will help clear up some of the auto parts mysteries I have been having. Most of the auto parts guys are 40 years younger than I so this will be great. So 4469D is a 1950 Special. And body #8087 is a 4 door sedan. I do not have a key driven hood but I do have the two hood releases near the doors so I can open either side. It looks cool up sideways but has been a real bear to align with fenders and adjust. Getting closer though. So that means I have a Series 2. Great. Is there a way to ever find out the production date? I read where 70% of 1950 Buick's were born in 1949. (Same as me). Not a fact I need. Just another interesting bit of information. I find this all very fascinating. I love learning more and more. I have not posted a picture of my car yet as the first thing I did when I got it home was to remove all the chrome and take off fenders and hood so I could do a better job of getting it ready for driving and cosmetics. I am now going in the opposite direction. All under car duties are finished thank God. Fenders and hood back on. Car all sanded and should be painting next week. Will then install chrome. (I hear that is tedious). Chrome came out really nice front and rear. Are the side pieces stainless? Do I use chrome polish like I did on the bumpers? Sorry to inundate you with questions but really nobody else knows in this small town on the Oregon Coast. Thanks for your time. The waters are WAY less muddied!!! Doug1414 50 Special 41D 2nd Owner 05 Le Sabre Custom 3rd Owner

I have been talking with many of you for a while now and have made progress because of your expertise. Thanks again. I have a few questions but will give you a progress report first. I have been able to drive the car around the block 3 times now and am sure I was smiling the whole time. Looked funny though as the front fenders and hood were still in garage. I guess I was too anxious. I live in an over 55 community so there is hardly any traffic and if there is they are going around 15 MPH as that is our speed limit. Since then I have bolted them back on and hired a flatbed (not registered yet) to take it 12 miles to a friends garage. I spent the last two days with a dual action sander cutting down the primer and getting it ready for another coat. Hopefully it will be ready to paint within a week. Geneva Green just like it came out of the factory. SO HAPPY!!! Also, I bought a 2005 Buick Le Sabre Custom with almost every option. Air bags and all. What a beautiful ride. All leather. Buick's are GREAT!! Always looking for another from the 50's. Don't tell the wife though. Maybe she just won't notice. QUESTIONS!! As I read my shop manual I see there was a model with directional signals and a model without. I was told at this forum that I had a model 40D as my # is 60852674 and the Style # is 4469D. He said I had a model 40 because the last digit is a 4 so I have been going with that. Now I know the lowest model was a 40 so I am guessing maybe it did not come with signals. Also, the steering column does not have a threaded hole on the right side (as pictured in manual) to screw in a signal lever. My guess is it was originally a non-signaling car. The mechanic that rewired the car (who has since died) has labeled wires for directional signals so I am confused. 1. Is there a way to tell by the VIN if this car was built with signals?? 2. How do I tell if this car is Series 1 or Series 2?? Thanks again and looking forward to your replies!! Doug1414 50 Special 40D Second Owner 05 Le Sabre Custom 3rd Owner

How about the companies? Classic Buick Parts or CARID?? Doug1414 50 Special 40D Second Owner

I am finding 3 or 4 sources and 3 or 4 different brands of wheel cylinders out there. Anybody have any ideas which way to lean??? Delco is what I took off. Will another brand fit my application?? Raybestos says it will fit. Is CARID a decent company to deal with?? They are a lot cheaper than Classic Buick.com. I would rather spend the extra money for reliability BUT if the others are adequate then that would be fine too!!! Also, the springs feel really good. But they are getting old. I am not a metallurgist so am not sure which way to go. The car only has 54,000 miles so I am wondering if that plays into it at all. To be honest if you guys were not out there I would just order it all. Whatcha think??? Thanks for being there!!! Doug1414 50 Special 40D Second Owner

We all had circumstances and man do I understand. Having brothers and dad is huge. You family gave enough. Blessings on you and your family, Doug1414 50 Special Model 40D 2nd Owner

Just want to give a shout out to my fellow veterans and thank you for all you did for yours and mine. I salute you!! Doug1414 50 Model 40D 2nd Owner

Well Beemon, when I said Old Timer I meant you have been doing this forum stuff WAY WAY longer than I. I am pleased to have the company. Doug1414